


The World As They Knew It

by sidhe_faerie



Series: Merlin Writers' Trope Bingo 2015 [12]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Character Death, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-14
Updated: 2015-07-14
Packaged: 2018-04-09 00:10:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4326204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sidhe_faerie/pseuds/sidhe_faerie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Saxons bring down the walls of Camelot and everyone in it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The World As They Knew It

**Author:** [](http://sidhe-faerie.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://sidhe-faerie.livejournal.com/)**sidhe_faerie**  
**Title:** The World As They Knew It  
**Rating:** PG  
**Pairing:** Arthur/Gwen  
**Word Count:** 1183  
**Trope:** Apocalypse  
**Summary:** The Saxons bring down the walls of Camelot and everyone in it.  
**Warnings:** Character death  
**Written for Merlin Writers' Trope Bingo**

Arthur ran into the throne room. He was relieved to see Gwen standing next to the throne. Her face was smeared with dirt and there were tears tracking down her cheeks. 

“Guinevere! Thank the gods.” Arthur ran over and wrapped his arms around her. 

The thunderous sound from the pounding the walls of the castle was taking from the catapults. Arthur looked around and saw the cracks in the walls and he knew they wouldn’t last much longer. 

“Arthur, where are the Knights? Merlin? Gaius?” Gwen asked. 

“I don’t know. We were separated. I think they’re all gone. The Saxons have overrun the citadel. They mean to kill us all. We must escape.” Arthur could hear the heavy footsteps of the enemy in the corridor outside the throne room. "Sh! Guinevere they’re coming." 

“We have no way out. They will kill us.” Gwen cried even harder. 

“If they don’t then the castle will. The walls are about to give way. Come let’s go.” Arthur pulled her through the back door into the king’s study. He opened a window and pushed a trunk in front of it. “This way.” 

“Arthur! We will be killed. It’s too far to fall.” Gwen took a step back from the window. 

“We fall or we will be crushed or worse.” Arthur pulled her to the window. “You know what they do to women.”

Gwen climbed up on the trunk and swallowed hard. She stepped out of the window and let go. Arthur followed her. 

They hit the ground hard but Arthur forced himself up and put Gwen over his shoulder and made for the woods. It was their only chance to survive. 

He took them to a small hut that had been abandoned for years. He laid Gwen down on the floor. He rolled his cloak up and put it under her head. She looked pale but she didn’t seem to have any broken bones that he could tell.

The ground shook. Arthur knew the castle was a pile of rubble now. The bombardment had brought it to the ground. No one could have survived the collapse. Arthur just hoped that some of the Saxons had been trapped in the collapse as well.       

Arthur looked around to see what he could use to help them survive. There was no food or blankets. They were alone and things were not looking good.   

He didn’t dare start a fire. It would give away their position and that was the last thing that they needed. They would live but they would just have to be cold.

When it was dark, Arthur looked around the hut for firewood and some fresh water.  He found a small stream and filled some pots he had found in the hut full of water. He didn’t find any firewood he would have to gather some at first light. 

Gwen stayed unconscious for hours. Arthur was sure she would die and it would be his fault. He was the one that made her go through the window. 

All Arthur could do now was to protect Gwen from the Saxons and get them to a safe place as soon as he could. He sat against the wall near her and waited for first light. 

Just as the first rays of sun came in the window, Arthur heard a noise outside. He unsheathed his sword waited to defend himself and Gwen. 

The door opened and Merlin burst through. Merlin was covered in blood and dirt. He had a wound on his arm from a sword. 

“I thought you were dead.” Arthur said. “I thought you all were dead.” 

“Leon and I got out before the castle fell. There isn’t anything left. We are in the cave in the Darkling Woods.” Merlin looked out the door. “We should get going.” 

“There’s a problem. Guinevere has been unconscious for hours.” Arthur said as he looked down at his Queen. 

“Get me some fresh water and I will look at her.” Merlin said. 

Merlin waited until Arthur left and he healed Gwen with magick. By the time Arthur came back, she was sitting up and looking much better. Arthur embraced her and gave Merlin an appreciative look. 

“Can you walk, Gwen?” Merlin asked. 

“I don’t know. I can try.” Gwen said. 

Arthur and Merlin helped her to her feet and held on to her until she was steady.

With Arthur to lean on Gwen could walk but slowly. They made it to the cave where Leon was waiting. Arthur made Gwen comfortable and went to talk with him and Merlin. 

“Is this it?” Arthur said. “Is there no one left but us?”

Leon and merlin looked at each other. 

“Arthur, we couldn’t hold them back and the catapults were more than we expected.” Leon said. “I saw Knights fall one by one. They are all gone.” 

“Now where do we go? We are a King and Queen without a kingdom.” Arthur looked at Gwen. “How do I tell her?”

“We go to our allies. We could go to Nemeth. King Rodor will give us shelter.” Leon said. “Or we could go to Queen Annis.” 

Arthur raked his hand through his hair. “No! We go to Ealdor. I will not beg from those who would only show me pity. Merlin, will they give us shelter?”

“Yes.” Merlin said. “But we should warn the other kingdoms.” 

“I will go to the surrounding kingdoms and warn them of the Saxons.” Leon said. 

“Go but be careful.” Arthur said. “Join us when you are done.” 

“Arthur?” Gwen called out. 

Arthur went to sit beside his wife. “Guinevere, the castle is gone and we have nothing left. I think we should go to Ealdor. We will be safe there.” 

Gwen nodded. “As long as we are together.” 

“For now we wait here until the Saxons stop searching the woods.” Arthur looked over at Leon and Merlin. 

Leon left two days later. He made it Nemeth. He was nearly discovered by Saxons and almost met the same fate of the other knights of Camelot. He headed back to Nemeth decided to stay. 

Nearly a week later, Arthur, Gwen and Merlin walked up the road into Ealdor. The village was strangely quiet. 

Merlin took Gwen and Arthur to his mother’s cottage. He searched the buildings and found no one around. He went to the food stores and found everyone huddled together. 

“The Saxons came through here two days ago.” Hunith told her son. “We didn’t know what to do so we hid in the cellars.” 

“That was smart.” Merlin hugged her. “Camelot is gone there is nothing left. I brought Arthur and Gwen here with me.” 

“We will take care of them.” Hunith said. “Their world may have ended but they will be safe in ours.” 

The people of the village came out and they welcomed the couple into their world. 

The word spread that the King and Queen of Camelot had perished in the rubble of their castle. No one ever came looking for them as far as the known world knew they were as dead as Camelot. 


End file.
